Disk brake



Sept. 26, 1950 N. H. SMITH 2,523,598

' DISK BRAKE Filed Sept. 28, 1949 INVENT OR.

Nev/We H. Smith ATTCI RN EY Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISK BRAKE Neville H. Smith, Athens, Tenn. Application September 28, 1849, Serial No. 118,235

2 Claims- (Cl. 188-152) This invention relates to braking means for the s n wheels of an automobile and the like. Y An object of the invention is the provision of a simple and eilicient braking means for the front wheels of an automobile or the like in which a disk is reciprocated into braking position by a fluid under pressure, said disk being operated and supported by a stem drawing axially through a hollow axle carrying the hub of the wheel so that the disk having a friction material may be moved into engagement with a friction surfaceof the wheel, a hub cap or other enclosure housingthe disk. 1

Another object of the invention is the provision of a braking means for the front wheels of a vehicle in which a disk housed within the hub cap of awheel has an operating stem mounted axially within a hollow axle receiving the hub and reciprocated by a piston in a cylinder attached to the bight portion of a fork upon which the axle is pivoted, the stem at the inner end thereof being connected to a piston which is reciprocated in one direction by a fluid under pressure and in an opposite direction by a spring.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a braking means for an automobile or annular wheel in which a braking disk having a friction material located at the exterior face of the wheel and housed by the hub cap is adapted to be shifted inwardly for engagement with a disk face on the wheel, the disk being held against rotation by complemental means on a reciprocating stem and a hollow axle carried rigidly by a fork pivoted in the usual fork at each end of the front axle, means being employed for reciprocating the stem and the attached disk. Other objectives of this design are:

To provide a working and useful design of a brake permitting a central ideal location of steering pivots when used on the steering end of a vehicle, providing safer steering and braking.

To provide extremely long, trouble free service by completely sealing out damaging dirt, grit, water, and the like.

To provide ample braking area with fast cooling and visible simplicity.

To make possible extremely simple, efficient 2 a drawing, nevertheless. it must be borne in mind that the invention is susceptible of such changes and modifications as shall define no material departure fromthe salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a front vehicle wheel taken along the line l-l of Figure 3, showing my improved braking mechanism;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of a front wheel taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1: and

Figure 3 is a front view in elevation of a wheel showing aprotection cover for myabraking disc bolted to the wheel.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Ill designates a front axle having a fork II at each end, the free ends of the arms l2 of the fork are provided with bearings H to receive king pins I. These vertically aligned pins are also received in adjacently disposed bearings it formed in the free ends of the arms l6 of the cup-shaped member II which when rocked steers the front wheels l8'of the vehicle.

Both of the front wheels are of identical construction and each has a disk 20 having a conical snap on type may be employed for housing a friction disk 21 or a bowed cover plate 28 may be used. This plate has a perforated peripheral flange 29 which is bolted at 30 to the rim of the wheel. Fins 3| may be part of the hub of the wheels for cooling purposes. The inner face of the disk 21 is provided with a suitable friction facing 24 cooperating with the disk 20' to effect braking action, although said friction facing may be carried by the disk 20 if so desired.

The disk 21 is reoiprocated by a rod or stem 32 mounted longitudinally and axially of the hollow axle 22 carried by the cup-shaped member II.

The inner end of the stem is received by a horizontal passage 33 formed at the center of the bight portion 23 of the cup-shaped member ll. Said operating stem is provided with a suitable number of circumferentially arranged splines 3| which are received by complementally formed grooves in the wall of the passage 33 to prevent taken in connection with the accompanying turning of the stem and disk 21 while permitting sage 33 is formed integrally-or connected rigidly with the bridging portion. The opposite end 38 has an opening 40 to receive the extension rod 36. A compression spring 4| is mounted on the rod and has one end abutting the inner end of the stem 32 while the other end is in engagement with the inner end 39 of the sleeve 31. This spring tends at all times to move the stem outwardly of the axle 22 and the disk 21 and associated friction facing away from the disk 20.

A piston 42 has an opening 43 receiving the extension rod 35 and nuts 44 and 45 screwed into the inner free end of said rod attach the piston to the rod which provides for adjustment and removal of disc 21. A single self-locking nut may be employed, if desired. A cylinder 46, formed integrally with the plate 36, embraces the piston. A nipple 41, threaded into an opening in the cylinder, is in communication with a tube 48 which supplies compressed'air or other fluid to the cylinder when the usual brake pedal is depressed.

A conventional form of retaining means is indicated in Figure 1 for retaining the hub 2| on the hollow axle 22. A nut 50 is screwed onto the outer threaded end of said axle. Bearings 5| are supplied for the hub, and are of such construction as to withstand the braking thrusts between the disks 20 and 21, as well as the various loadings of the .wheel during operation.

The operation of my device is as follows:

It is only necessary to depress the brake pedal of the automobile whence fluid under pressure is forced into the cylinder from the tube 48 against the piston 42. Said piston forces the stem 32 inwardly and draws the braking disk 2'! into frictional relation with the outerface of the disk of the automobile wheel for any degree of braking efiort. Release of pressure on the brake pedal allows the brake disc to release by virtue of the tension of the spring 4| in the sleeve 31.

The splines 34 cooperate with the complemental grooves in the bridging member 23 of the cupshaped member II' from turning in order to retain the wheel against rotation. While the member I1 is rocked for turning the front wheels during steering such rocking does not affect the action of the braking disc since .the wheels carry the entire assembly which operates the disk.

It will be noted that the brake cylinder is remotely located with respect to the friction surfaces of the brake, thus preventing the passage of braking fluid to such surfaces insuring an efficient braking action at all times, and this location of the cylinder likewise allows complete inspection, maintenance or'replacement of parts, without the necessity 'of raising and lowering the wheel to eflfect such repairs.

What I claim:

1. In an automobile wheel having a limited rocking movement in a fork at the end of a front axle, a cup-shaped member pivoted for rocking movement in the fork, a hollow spindle projecting outwardly from an intermediate portion of the cup-shaped member to receive the hub of the wheel, the outer surface of the wheel having a face, a reciprocating stem received by the hollow spindle, a disk rigid with the outer end of the stem and having a friction facing adapted to engage the face of the wheel, cooperating means on thestem and cup-shaped member to prevent rotation of said stem, fluid operated means for reciprocating the stem and for moving the disk and friction facing into contact with the face of the wheel and a spring for moving the disk away from said face.

2. In an automobile wheel having a limited rocking movement in a fork at the end of a front axle, a cup-shaped member pivoted for rocking movement in the fork, a hollow spindle projecting outwardly from an intermediate portion of the cup-shaped member to receive the hub of the wheel, the outer surface of the wheel having a brake surface, a reciprocating stem received by the hollow spindle, a friction disk rigid with the outer end of the stem and adapted to engage the brake surface of the wheel, means retaining the stem against rotation, a cylinder attached to and projecting inwardly from the cup-shaped member, a piston in the cylinder attached to the stem, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder so that the piston will draw the friction disk tight against the brake surface of the wheel, and a spring for reciprocating the stem to cause the disk to be moved away from the wheel when the fluid pressure has been released.

NEVILLE H. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,858,257 Zancan May 17, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 265,650 Great Britain July 8, 1926 

